Charles e



(No Model.)

C. E. LETTS.

PINGH BAR. No. 359,793. Patented Mar. 22,1887. Y

NITED STATES PATENT Trice.

CHAR-LES E. LETTS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN 5. ALLEY, OF SAliLIE PLACE.

PlNCH-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,793, dated March 22, 1887.

Application iilcd November 24, 1886. Seal No. 219,817.

To LU whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, CHARLES E. Lnrrs, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pinch-Bars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a a part of this specification.

rI`his invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in pinclrbars, or devices for starting and moving curs on a railwaytrack.

Since steel rails have come so generally into use the ordinary pinch-bars heretofore eniployed, and which hore upon the upper face of the rail, have proved inefficient, as when force was applied the strain, being at an obtusc angle to the face of the rail, would cause the bar to slip on the rail, rather than to push the car forward. To remedy this evil, pinch` bars have been introduced having a grip or clamp designed to embrace the sides and head of the rail; but the employment of these is laborious and the results not so certain as desired, for it appears necessary that the bearingpoint should be directly and vertically downward upon the face of the rail to produce the best results, and the device should be so constructed that it will not slip whenever the strain or force applied is inclined to such railtop.

The object of this invention is to produce an improved pinch-bar that will not under 0rdinary circumstances slip on the face oi" the rail, that will be economical in cost, very efiieient, and easily operated.

The invention consists in the peculiar con` struction of the parts and theircombination, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure l is a perspective view' of my ini-1 proved pinch-bar as in operation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the shoe attachY ment having bar pivotally secured thereto.

(No model.)

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A is a lever or pnclrbar having a foot integrally formed therewith, the toe a of which is designed to engage with the periphery of a car-wheel, as near its point of contact with the surface of the rail as the thickness of such toe will allow, while the heel b is rounded in longitudinal section to form a rolling fnlcrum. To what may be termed the ankle there is a hole, by means of which and a suitable bolt, c, the bar is pivotally secured to and between the ears d of the shoe B, for the purpose of securing the parts together only, as the entire weight, strain, or force, when the device is in operation, is upon the heel ZJ and the upper surface of the shoe B. This shoe B is a metallic plate having perforated ears d, hy means of which the shoe is secured to the lever. The lower face of the shoe has a downwardly-projecting iiange, e, at each end, and between these tlanges there is fitted a piece of thick leather, paper, or a plate of equivalent soft metal, D, which causes sufficient friction on the face of the rail to preventasl-ipping of the shoe. Bolts, pins, or rivets through the shoeplate B and the supplemental friction-plate D hold the two together, and the latter may be removed and replaced from time to time, as required.

Vi'hat I claim as my invention is The combination, in a device for the pur pose described, of a lever, A, having a toe, a, and a rounded heel, Z), bearing upon the shoe, and a metallic shoe, B, having ears d, for at -tachment of the shoe to the lever, and ianges e at each end, and a removable friction-surface attached to the bottoni of the shoe, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES E. LETTS.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, J. PAUL MAYER. 

